NCAA Basketball: Top 25 mid-majors through non-conference play

NCAA Basketball: Top 25 mid-major teams through non-conference play

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Eric Musselman of the Nevada Wolf Pack gestures to his team during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Holiday Invitational basketball tournament against the Massachusetts Minutemen at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada defeated Massachusetts 110-87. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

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OKLAHOMA CITY – MARCH 18: (L-R) Eric Tramiel #25 and Josh White #10 of the North Texas Mean Green look on against the Kansas State Wildcats during the first round of the 2010 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Ford Center on March 18, 2010 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

21. North Texas Mean Green (12-1)

Conference USA was supposed to be between Marshall and Western Kentucky but both teams have struggled early on, not making this list. A couple of others managed to do so, including the Mean Green.

To be clear, North Texas was viewed as a threat coming into this season, with 18 ppg scorer Roosevelt Smart coming back for his junior season along with other key contributors. But an injury to him kept him out of the first seven games for 2018-19. However, the Mean Green managed to win all of them (although three of them were against non-Division 1 schools).

In Smart’s absence, it was a balanced scoring effort, with five different players averaging double figures. Redshirt freshman Umoja Gibson leads the way at 13.0 ppg, while junior guard Ryan Woolridge continues to put up impressive stats (12.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 5.5 apg). With Smart back, there are now six double-digit contributors on the team to this point.

North Texas gives up less than 60 ppg, which is a bit misleading considering the overall competition they’ve played. But it is impressive that the team’s season-high in points allowed is just 73, done in their only loss of the season in Oklahoma.

With Smart nearing 100% health and the team having multiple scorers around him, North Texas looks like they have even another gear in them. The Mean Green hasn’t won more than eight games in Conference USA since joining in the 2013-14 season but this looks to be the best team they’ve had in a long time. This is a great opportunity to climb the ladder and make a move for a regular season title.

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